Improved stern-bearing for propeller-shafts



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

B. E. CAMPBELL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

Specification forming part of Letters Batent No. 45,473, dated December20, 1864.

To all whom 'it may concern Beit known that I, 1t. E. CAMPBELL, of thecity, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and ImprovedStern-Bearing for Propeller-Shafts 5 and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which willenable others skilled in the art to make and use the saine, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of thisspeciiication, in which- Figure lis a face viewot' this invention,partly in section. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section ofthe same,the line a ac, Fig. l, indicating the plane of section. Fig. 3 is atransverse vertical section ofthe same, taken in the plane indicated bythe line y y, Fig. l.

Similar letters ot' reference indicate like parts.

This invention consists in the application of a wedge acted upon by akey, in combination with the lower box ot' a stern-bearing in such amanner that by the action of the key and wedge said box can be readilyadjusted as it wears, and when it has completely worn out it can beeasily removed and replaced by a new one without disturbing the bracket.

A represents the bracket ot the stern-bearing, which is constructed inthe ordinary manner, ofcast-iron or any other suitable material, andsecured to the stern-post by screw-bolts or any other desirable means inthe most permanent a-nd durable manner. This bracket is provided with atubular seat, B, that forms the bearing for the propeller-shaft. Thelower part ot' said seat is lined with a box, C, ot' brass, composition,or other suitable material, which is so arranged that it can be adjustedup and down. lt is supported by a wedge, D, which is fitted into acavity under the seat B, and the bottom of said cavity may be made toform an inclined plane; or the wedge itself may be so shaped that byforcing the same in the direction of the arrow marked on it in Fig. l ofthe drawings the box G is raised, and

by moving the wedge in the opposite direction the box is lowered. Theposition of the wedge Ais governed by a key, E, which passes in atransverse direction through a slot, b, in the outer end of the tubularseat B, and through a notch, a, in the upper edge ot' the wedge. The keyis wedgeshaped, and it bears with one edge on the shoulder formed at theinner edge ot' the notch a., and its other edge bears on a gib, F, whichis iitted into the slot b, as clearly shown in Fig. 3 ofthe drawings. Bydriving the key E the wedge D is moved in the direction of the arrowsmarked thereon in Figs. 2 and 3 ofthe drawings, and the box C closes up.By this arrangement said box can always be adjusted as it wears down,and the bearings of the shalt can easily be kept inline. The strain onthe stern-post is thereby greatly reduced, and any waste of power from auseless strain on the shaft is avoided. lf the box O has worn outcompletely, it can easily be removed and replaced by a new one withoutdisturbing the bracket A.

By the use of a sternbearing c( nstructed according to my invention agreat saving is eti'ected in repairs of the bearing and adjoining parts,and also in power requisite to turn the propellershat't by keeping thebearings of the same always in line.

Instead ot' adjusting the wedge by the key E, it might be adjusted fromthe inside of the vessel by a screw or by levers or any other suitablecontrivance, and in order to reduce friction it may be supported byfriction-rollers.

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- The combinationof the box G, wedge D, and one or more keys, E F, arranged and operatingas described.

R. E. CAMPBELL.`

Witnesses:

JOHN P. J AMISON, W. HAUEE.

